Railway snow-plow.



No. 674,330. Patented May |4, I90i.

w. E. WILDER.

RAILWAY SNOW PLOW.

[Application filed Feb. 19, 1901.)

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Patented May I4, I901. W. E. WILDER.

RAILWAY SNOW PLOW.

(Application filed Feb. 19, 1901,)

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(No Model.)

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vw. E. WILUEB.

RAILWAY SNOW PLOW.

(Application filed Feb. 19, 1901.)

Patented May [4, JUL

WITNESSES:

JNVENTOR.

iya M4 AITORNEYJ.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. WILDER, 0F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILWAY SNOW-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 674,330, dated May 14., 1901.

Application filed February 19, 1901i Serial No. 47 913. (No model.)

vide means for deflecting the snow thrown up by the prow, so as to return it to the roadway close to the track, and, third, to provide an adjustable share of improved construction.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a double-ended snow-plow constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 represents, on an enlarged scale, a side elevation of the front end of the plow, partly broken away. Fig. 4 represents a transverse vertical section taken between' the trucks. Fig. 5 represents a plan View of one of the prows and truck. Fig.6 represents a detail vertical section taken through one of the hinge-joints connecting the adjustable share to the front end of the plow. Fig. 7 represents a similar section taken at one side of the middle hinge-joint. Fig. 8 represents a plan view, partly broken away, showing one of the hinge-joints. Figs. 9,10, and 11 represent sections on the correspondingly-numbered lines of Fig. 7.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings, 1 represents a plow-body whose ends are pivotally supported on two trucks 2 2, which are adapted to turn with forward axle.

Fig. 4, to the truck-frames 6, so as to swing with the trucks in rounding curves, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig; 2. This is an important advantage, particularly on street-railways,which frequently have abrupt curves. In such a case a plow having a prow attached to the body would project a considerable distance outside of the track in rounding curves and would not properly clear the track. A prow mounted upon the truck will always follow the track and will properly clear the same in rounding curves. This construction also allows the plow to be made of substantial length, giving ample accommodations for a crew, together with proper stability and weight. For street railway work a plow of this character may with advantage be provided with its own motor. In

with a trolley 7, adapting it for use on an overhead electric system, and one or both (preferably both) of the trucks 2 2 are prothe drawings the body 1 is shown as equipped creased stability to the truck and tends to keep it on the rails.

As shown in Fig. 3, the journal boxes or bearings 9 9 of the front and rear wheels 10 11 are mounted in guides or pedestalsl2 12 on the truck-frame 6. Springs 13 are interposed between the journal-boxes 9 of the rear pair of wheels 11 and the truck-frame in order to allow the rear journals to yield vertically and absorb concussions; but above the forward journals 9 I provide, in place of the springs,

blocks 14 of rigid material, such as wood,

which prevent a downward yielding of the forward end of the truck-frame toward the The object of this construction is to prevent the forward edge of the prow 4 from approaching nearer than a predetermined distance to the rails, whereby it avoids encountering low obstructions on the track. Since the body 1 rests on the middle of the truck-frame, the front axle acts as a fulcrum and gives the body the benefit of the springs 13. The prows 4: are bolted to the upper faces of the pedestals 12, over the wheel-axle journals, whereby the weight of the prows is directly borne by the journals rather than by the middle of the truck-frame.

At the lower front end of the prow 4: is located a share 15, which is provided with a cutting edge and is hinged so as to raise or lower this edge. The hinging of the share enables it to be lifted away from the rails, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus avoiding an accumulation of snow or ice below the share in running backward, which would have a tendency to lift the plow from the rails. This tendency is encountered principally where the under side of the prow is inclined toward the share or cutting edge, enabling the snow or ice to wedge underneath the share in running backward. Such pivoted shares are of particular utility on a double-ended plow, for on this kind of a plow one of the prows of necessity always runs backward, and by raising the share at that end derailment is prevented. An operating-lever 16, connected by a link 17 with the share 15, is provided for moving the share in the described manner. g cated wholly behind the front of the prow 4 This operating mechanism being 10-} and below its sloping upper surface is protected within the prow and presents no ob struction to the passage of the snow over the prow. A smooth upper surface for the prow is further obtained by locating the hinge which connects the rear portion of the prow with the share wholly below the said upper surface. The construction of the lower frontend of the prow is shown in detail in Figs. 5 to 11, inclusive. 18 18 are a series of sloping longitudinal beams or sills forming part of the frame of the prow and having abrupt end faces 19 at their lower ends. A

strong and durable construction is given to i the share 15 by providing it with a framework composed of a series of triangular brackets 20 20, to which plates 21 22, forming the up- 3 per and lower surfaces of the share, are se- 1 cured by rivetapins 23 23. These brackets also constitute hinge members, which are embracedby other hinge members or plates 24; 24, bolted to the beams 18, said plates being connected to the brackets 20 by hinge-pintles 25 25. As indicated in Fig. 9, the upperplate or cutter 21 is bent or flanged over on each edge, as at 27, to form the sides of the share. These flanges impart additional strength to withstand blows and add stiffness to the plate in a forward and rearward direction, which prevents its tendency to buckle in that direction. In the lowermost or operative position of the share 15 the rear sides of the brackets 20 abut against the end faces 19 of the beams 18 and find there an ample and strong bearing to resist the downward strain on the share, such strains being transmitted to the beams 18 in the direction of their length, whereby the greatest stiffness is secured with the least weight and material.

The prows 4 shown in the drawings are provided with upwardly and outwardly inclined moldboards 2t 28, from the upper ends of which the snow lifted by the nose of the prow is discharged at the side of the roadway. In cities or towns this discharge is sometimes objectionable to passing traffic or persons, and to obviate it I provide the overhanging deflectors 29 29, located at the upper ends of the moldboards 28 and inclined ontwardly and downwardly, so as to divert the snow in a corresponding direction. These deflectors are hinged at 30 along their inner edges to the prows 4 and are attached to cords 31, which pass inside of the body 1, whereby the operator isenabled to throw the deflectors into an inoperative vertical posi tion, as represented in full lines at the left of Fig. 4. They may be fixed in this inoperative position by suitable means, such as a pin 32. Springs 33 surrounding the hinge-pintles of the deflectors 29 tend to hold them in their operative positions.

I claim- 1. A railway snow-p10 w comprising a body, a wheeled truck pivoted to and supporting said body, a snow-clearing end or prow mounted on the truck, and substantially covering the whole of its front end, and adapted to turn therewith independently of the body.

2. A railway snow plow comprising a wheeled truck,a body supported by said truck, said body terminating substantiallyover the middle of the wheel-base of the truck and being pivoted thereat to the truck, and a snow-clearing end or prow mounted on the truck and substantially covering the whole of its front end:

3. A railway snow-plow comprising a body, a wheeled truck pivoted to and supporting said body, a motor mounted on said truck for propelling the plow, and a snow-clearing end or prow mounted on the truck, and adapted to turn therewith independently of the body.

4:. A double-ended railway snow-plow carrying its own motor and comprising a body, wheeled trucks pivoted to and supporting opposite ends of said body, and oppositely-directed snow-clearing ends or prows mounted on the respective trucks, and adapted to turn therewith independently of the body.

5. A double-ended railway snow-plow carrying its own motor and comprising a body, wheeled trucks pivoted to and supportingopposite ends of said body, and oppositely-directed snow-clearing ends or prows mounted on the respective trucks and substantially covering the whole of their outward ends, and adapted to turn therewith independently of the body.

6. A railway snow-plow comprising a truck having a frame, front and rear wheels, beartruck, and a body supported by the truck and pivoted to the frame between the forward and rear wheels.

7. A railway snow-plow having an upwardly and outwardly slanted snow-clearing end or prow, and an overhanging downwardly and outwardly slanted side deflector adapted to downwardly deflect the snow thrown up by said prow, said deflector being adjustable to assume operative and inoperative positions.

8. Arailway snow-plow having an upwardly and outwardly slanted snow-clearing end or prow and an overhanging downwardly and outwardly slanted deflector hinged along its inner edge to the side of the plow so as to assume operative and inoperative positions, and adapted to downwardly deflect the snow thrown up by said prow.

9. A railway snow-plow having a snowclearing end or prow provided with an inclined upper surface, and a share hinged along the lower front edge thereof, the hinge being located below the upper surface of the prow so as to leave said upper surface smooth and unbroken at the joint.

10. A railway snow-plow having a snowclearing end or prow provided with an inclined upper surface, a share hinged along the lower front edge thereof, and mechanism for oscillating said share, said mechanism being located within and below the said upper surface.

11. A railway snow plow having a snowclearing end or prow provided with longitudinal frame-beams having abutments at their forward ends, and a share hinged to the forward edge of the prow, and having framebrackets at intervals alined with the said beams and provided with offset portions adapted to rest against said abutments at the lowermost adjustment of the share, whereby the said beams directly receive the thrust of the brackets in the direction of their length.

12. A railway snow-plow ha-Vinga share or nose constructed with triangular metallic brackets forming a frame and a top plate or cutter riveted to said brackets.

13. A railway snow-plow having a share or nose constructed with triangular metallic brackets forming a frame and top and bottom plates riveted to said brackets.

14. A double-ended railway snow-plow having oppositely-directed snow-clearing ends or prows at its respective ends, the outward-operating portions of which are inclined on their under sides, and horizontal shares at said outward ends hinged to the prows so as to be capable of being raised and lowered.

15. A railway snow-plow having a body, a truck pivoted thereto,and comprising a frame, wheels, axles, and axle-journals, and a snowclearing end or prow attached to and supported on said frame at points substantially over the journals of the axles.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. WILDER. Witnesses:

H. L. RoBBIN, MARCUS B. MAY. 

